2 men in custody following high speed pursuit, rollover

CEDAR CITY — Two men are in custody following a high speed chase that resulted in the rollover of a vehicle they allegedly told police was stolen, sending one man to the hospital Friday morning.

At 10:49 a.m., the driver of a gold Toyota Corolla was pulled over for speeding by a Utah Highway Patrol Trooper, said UHP Sgt. Jalaine Hawkes. The car was traveling at 92 mph southbound on Interstate 15 and was pulled over near the Enoch exit.

After talking with the driver and his passenger, Hawkes said, the trooper noticed the smell of marijuana coming from the car and asked both men to step out so he could search it.

“At that time the driver told the trooper that he didn’t have a driver’s license with him, accelerated away and fled the scene,” Hawkes said.

Troopers pursed the Toyota as it got off the interstate at the Enoch exit, following the driver as he turned north onto Minersville Highway (state Route 130) at speeds nearing 100 mph.

As other agencies joined in and began talks of spike deployment to stop the Toyota, the driver of the fleeing vehicle lost control and rolled going around a bend at milepost 32 on Minersville Highway, just south of the Beaver County line.

Hawkes said the driver and passenger were taken into custody. One individual was transported by Gold Cross Ambulance to Valley View Medical Center to be treated for injuries.

“Law enforcement went with them to the hospital,” Hawkes said, adding that the extent of the injuries was unknown.

While in custody, she said, the driver admitted to troopers that he fled the scene because he stole the Toyota that he was driving.

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About the Author

Born and raised in South Jersey, Carin Miller moved to Cedar City 20 years ago or so and found her home. A 2012 graduate of Southern Utah University, she earned her bachelor's degree in communication with a minor in fine art photography – after dropping out of high school at the age of 16.
Carin proved that with a little determination and hard work anything was possible.
Her love of history and family has compelled her to dig up “Legacies Lost to Time” and share them with the world when she is not busy with either work or her four children.
Having worked for the Iron County Today, Alive Utah South and KCSG Television before landing with St. George News, Carin has covered a wide range of issues, events and happenings throughout the Southern Utah region. https://www.facebook.com/carinmillernews